


The Final Time

by Gleekship



Category: Glee
Genre: Character Death, Crying, Father-Son Relationship, Future Fic, Heart Attacks, Hospitals, M/M, Memories, Storytelling, Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-19
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 07:32:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/808953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gleekship/pseuds/Gleekship
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Burt is hit with his final heart attack and Kurt is there for those final moments.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Did I . . . did I ever tell . . ." Burt's chest shakes a bit as he has a hard time breathing, a hard time getting his words out. "Did I ever tell you about . . . how I got the shop?"

Kurt bows his head over his dads side, the older mans hand clasp between his, pressing a soft kiss to the knuckles. Of course he had heard the story. He remembers the first time . . . the fifth time . . . the hundredth time . . . but none of those matters. He wants to remember the last time . . . the final time.

"No dad." Kurt rolls his face so his cheek is now resting against their intertwined hands.

It's killing Kurt now. His dad is in this hospital bed. _This_ bed. The one that he's to die in. He's been here for a few days now and the doctors have already warned Kurt about the . . . about the end. But there's nothing anyone can do. This final heart attack was his final downfall.

Burt smiles at his son. He knows the boy is just humoring him, but it's making him happy. He would happily die right now if he could see one last smile on his sons face.

"Well . . ." Burt's breathing is irregular. "It started . . .i-it star-" Burt cuts off with a loud cough.

Kurt quickly stands up and takes the cup of water from the bedside stand. He angles the straw to his dads mouth so the older man can take a drink. Kurt watches as the pale man drinks. Burt's face is pale and dry, thin and not him. Kurt removes the cup and sets it back on the stand. Instead of sitting back in his chair, he moves to he's sitting right beside his father on the bed.

"G-guess I . . . guess I won't be able to tell you that story." Burt chuckles weakly.

Kurt purses his lips and nods. "That's fine dad. It's best to save your energy."

"Who cares about energy!" The mans voice raises a level for those few moments he tries to make that firm statement. "I can use all of the energy that I want to because it means that I get to spend time with you. That's all that matters. You and me." Burt grabs Kurt's hand and squeezes tightly. "You . . . and me." He says slowly as he looks at Kurt with wet eyes. "You hear me?"

"Yeah, dad." Kurt smiles. "I hear you."

"Good." Burt smiles before he relaxes into his pillow. "No matter what happens here, know that-"

"Please don't, dad." Kurt shakes his head and looks down to their intertwined hands. "You don't know what's going to happen. You don't-"

"It's my time, Kurt." Burt sighs. "You think I don't know what you and the Doctor are talking about when you exchange those glances before leaving the room." Burt chuckles. "You're not that clever, kid. You may be in charge of any medical decisions, but I know you." Burt turns his head to look at Kurt's downcast eyes. "You're more clingy than usual. So tell me, how much time do I have? H-how much time do I have left with you?"

Kurt keeps his head down as he shuts his eyes, feeling the tears burn behind them. "H-he said . . . maybe to the end of the n-night." Kurt tries to keep his voice steady, but that fails.

His dads hand tenses within his own. "Oh."

Kurt's heart was already breaking before that word was even muttered. Luckily when the doctor told him this, he had his husband at his side to support him and to mutter sweet and loving things in his ear for the next hour before Kurt decided to rejoin his father until the end. He's not gonna leave until either his father dies, or the doctor informs him that they were wrong and that his father will make a miraculous recovery. It's nigh impossible of this happening, but he'd love to hold onto the false

"We're going to make the best of it then." Burt's voice snaps Kurt out of his daze.

Kurt's eyes widen as his dad reaches down for the small tubes that are connected into his arms. "What are you doing?"

"We're getting out of here." Burt mumbles under his breath.

"No." Kurt reaches across with his free hand to stop his dad. "Why would you . . . what are you trying to do here?"

"I'm not going to spend my last moments lying in a hospital bed when I could be doing something with you." Burt looks at Kurt with determination. "Your last memory of me will not be one of me in a hospital."

"Dad. Dad!" Kurt has to raise his voice when Burt continues to try and get the IV and every other piece of hospital equipment ejected out of his body. "You need to stay here. You can barely move as it is. You w-won't last once we leave the hospital."

Burt looks at Kurt with a lone tear falling down his cheek. "I am not going to let my heart decide whether or not I get to be in the hospital. Screw my heart. The damn things been faulty for years. I've only listened to it when it comes to you and your mom." Kurt bites his lip. "And right now, weak heart or not, I know that I don't want to be here. I'm not going to be your second parent to die in a hospital."

Kurt's bottom lip quivers as he tries to keep his voice steady. "You're staying, dad. You're staying hear and you're going to live as long as you can. You're not going to leave here and cut off whatever amount of life that you have l-left. You're not, dad."

Burt sighs and lets himself relax back into the pillow once more. "Kurt . . . if I'm going to stay here, then you need to leave."

Kurt's jaw drops. "W . . . what? What do you mean? D-do you not want me here?"

Burt squeezes both of his hands and Kurt's hands within them. "I love you here, Kurt. I don't ever want you anywhere else, but I also don't want you to see me die here. I was able to save you from watching your mother, but you're not a kid anymore. I can't stop you from watching me die, or watching my heart give out. What I can give you now is . . . is that chance to see me somewhere where it can be just you and me. If I'm not going to make it through the night, then there's no point in letting my final moments be in a dull hospital bed when I'd rather be somewhere else with you. Please, Kurt. Do this for me."

Kurt slowly lowers his head so his forehead is pressed against their clasped hands. A steady stream of tears transfer from his face to their hands. Burt releases Kurt's other hand so he can reach out and place it on Kurt's head. It's a heartbreaking situation, but Kurt knows what he needs to do.

Kurt slowly lifts his head. "Where do you want to go, dad?"


	2. Chapter 2

Burt gives both of the boys a week smile as he settles down onto the small bench. The little bench overlooks the original Hummel property that has been in their family for generations, passed down from father to son. Burt had already signed the papers for it to be transferred to Kurt once the paper work was processed. The Hummel land contained a really old three-story house that had been built from scratch and is settled in front of a small man-made pond. Surrounding both were a field of flowers and grass before reaching the wall of trees. The little property was a hidden Easter egg from the world that Burt had treasured since he was a kid. This bench gave him a perfect view of everything that he had enjoyed in his childhood. He could still see himself fixing his first car out here; he had to because his parents wouldn't buy him a new one, it had to be built.

Kurt turns to his concerned son and smiles. "Could you go get my hat from the truck? The suns in my eyes."

Kurt nods and looks between his father and husband before taking off around the pond. Burt chuckles because he knows that his son knows that this is just a distraction. He raised a smart boy. The best son he could ever ask for.

Burt chuckles softly before turning to his son-in-law. "Take a seat, Noah. I need to talk to you."

The boy quickly sits and looks eagerly at his only father figure in his life. It had taken a few years, but Burt had finally stopped calling the boy 'Mohawk'. Even after that strip of hair had been shaved off, he continued to use that name. It wasn't that he didn't like Noah, he just didn't like when he was Puck. It had only taken him a few times of meeting the boy for him to finally see Noah. It had only taken another year before he had told everyone to refer to him as Noah. Within the short span that they had known each other, the boy had grown so much and had quickly become a close sun to Burt.

Carol had died a few years back. Nothing terrible, just old age. They were both in their late 60's so it was bound to happen sooner or later. She had worked and laugh until the very end. Unfortunately, Burt couldn't take care of himself much after with the development of his arthritis and his bad back from years of working on cars. Finn would have taken him in, but the boy had isolated himself from his family once his mom passed and now they only saw him once a year for Thanksgiving and the occasional glimpse of when the boy came in town for the anniversary of his mothers death. So Kurt and Noah had taken him in and treated him like they always have. They let him be independent, which he was thankful for, but helped him enough for him to have a comfortable last few years.

Burt sighs and shuts his eyes. "You know, Noah, I never thought things would end this way for me." He can hear the boy shift on his side to pay more attention. "I thought that Kurt would end up doing something fashion-like and probable married to someone exactly like him." He cracks his eye open and looks at Noah with a smile. "But I'm happy that he married you. He needs someone strong like him, not some pansy look-a-like who will treat him like some fragile girl. He's a man. A Hummel man at that. He's not some little boy that needs to be treated like a girl or some effeminate creature. And you do that for him, kid" Burt moves his hand over so he can pat Noah on the leg. "I'm happy that your my son. Besides Kurt, you're the closest person in my life. You even know a few stories from my teen days that I haven't told Kurt yet."

Noah laughs. "Yes I do, and he won't be hearing about them anytime soon."

Burt snorts and clutches his chest with his free hand. "Go for it. Just wait for me to be six feet under first so I can have some sort of protection when you tell him of my wild side." He turns his head as Noah nods and sighs. "Listen, kid. You need to be there for him. You're going to have to hold him tight for this one. More than when his mom died, or when he got attacked a few years back. You hold onto him and never let go."

He hates when he sees a tear slide down Noah's cheek as he slowly nods. "What about me, Burt? You've been more than kind to me for so long. I-"

"Kid." Burt cuts him off with a chuckle. "I've known you for nearly 25 years now. I've known Kurt even longer. I know that you can hold yourself together long enough to take care of him, but I also know that he'll take care of you. You'll have each other. You-"

Burt breaks off and enters a coughing fit. It feels like his chest is exploding, but he knows that it's dying. He feels Noah's hand on his back as he tries to help the old guy. Yeah, his son chose the right guy for him. Puck may have been a bully, but he's been Noah for almost 25 years and that's the perfect guy.

"Dad." He looks up and shakes his head as his son races back to him.

"Easy, Kurt. Just let me cough it out." Kurt kneels down and places his dads hat on the bench. "It's going to happen anyways."

"Don't talk like that dad." Kurt reprimands his father before sighing. "Do you need anything to drink?"

"No. Just sit with me." Burt pats the other side of the bench for Kurt to sit.

Kurt sighs before looking over to his husband. Burt has to smile. Their non-verbal connection reminds him of how he used to talk to Elizabeth or Carol. It's true love. He was lucky enough to have two in his life.

Noah pats the hand that Burt has on his leg. "I'm gonna go take a look around. You don't need me do you?"

"No." Burt squeezes the boys hand before retracting his fingers. "Kurt and I'll be fine."

Noah smiles before he stands up and leaves the two of them alone. Burt continues to smile as he feels Kurt lean into his side and takes one of his hands within both of the small hand. How much that hand has grown? He may be old, but he can still remember when Kurt was so young that he could hold the boy with no effort. That lifetime is just a memory ago.

"Dad." Burt can feel the tears behind his eyes burning. "I-"

"Shh." Burt says softly. "I know what you're going to say . . . and I love you too." Burt turns to look at his crying son. "Now none of that. I've accepted this. I've had a long and happy life. Trust me, ending like this is a high note. The heart attack just helped me get hear faster."

Kurt nods and goes to speak, but can't. Burt reaches his arm around and grabs onto Kurt. He ends up pulling the boy against his chest and holding him while he cries. It's killing him to hear that sound.

"It's okay, Kurt." His voice seems weak to even him. "It's okay . . . it's okay, Kurt."


	3. Chapter 3

Noah holds his husband as the man cries. That's all he can do now. Kurt can barely form a coherent variable of a word before he breaks down again. It's agony to Noah. He can see other people in the church giving them looks of sorrow and support, but that doesn't help. It's not even close. He himself would rather skip the funeral and follow Burt's message to be strong, and to be happy, but this is for Kurt. This is part of his promise to Burt at the family house and his promise to Kurt on their wedding day that he'd be a support to Kurt.

Burt had chosen to be buried in Lima along with all of the former Hummel family members. Luckily by now Lima had become a relatively peaceful area for people like Noah and Kurt or otherwise they'd be rioted out from their current position. Kurt had fallen over halfway through the powerful testimonies of the people that knew Burt and had let Noah hold him to his chest. Noah had kept one hand over Kurt's eyes when the boy started shaking with sobs every time he saw someone new on the stage. There were still sobs, but Kurt was instantly comforted by Noah's quick actions. His other arm was wrapped around his husbands' stomach area and he was holding on. Kurt was squeezing the life out of that arm, but Noah can barely feel it now.

Noah feels a few tears leave his eyes as he stares at the best coffin that they could get for Burt. He had made only one round around the trees at the Hummel family home residence before Kurt's voice had rang out.

' _Daddy! Daddy please wake up. It's not time yet.'_

He had ran. He was crying then too because he had only talked to his father-in-law a few minutes earlier. He still ran.

' _Please, daddy. No. No!'_

It had broken him to see Kurt struggling to hold on his still father. He had watched as Kurt had taken the mans face between his own hands and tried shaking him awake. This had only made the deceased mans hat fall off and for Kurt to start freaking out more.

' _No, daddy. Y-you can't leave. Not yet!'_

He had gotten to Kurt before the boy had managed to push his father's body off of him from how much he was moving. He had to drag Kurt away from the body, awake from the bench, away from the pond.

' _Stop it, Noah. Get away from me. Stop. Stop!_

Noah had had to trap Kurt against the car with his body while he called the police. Kurt kicked, scratched, bit, and spit on him in an attempt to break free. This was the only time in a long time that Puck was proud to be the masculine one of the two. Even when Kurt had said that they were done, getting a divorce, and that Noah was every derogatory term known to man, Noah had stayed strong long enough to get the police to send an ambulance to their location.

' _I hate you, Noah. I hate you so god damn much. This is your fault. He's dead because of you.'_

Kurt was exhausted within minutes and had fallen back into Noah's arms and cried. He had apologized later, but Noah had reassured him that it was all okay. He had to stay strong. That's what Burt wanted . . . that's what he wanted . . . that's what Kurt needed.

They had both paid more attention when after the police and ambulance had left to take the body to the morgue. They forgot at first, but the day before the funeral, one week later, to go back and see. The hat that had fallen off of Burt was still there, untouched by nature. They knew that Burt was still with them when a small patch of flowers had grown around the hat, surrounding it with so many colors and life.

Noah blinks and focuses back on the funeral. What had surprised him was the different types of people that had spoke for Burt. He had expected mainly politicians after the man spending his life after Kurt had finished high school in politics, but was met with many more. There were waitresses, ' _Mr. Hummel always did his best to smile and tipped extra even when he was struggling to keep his garage open. He was so giving._ ' a few school staff, ' _This man had started off defending those that wanted to love and had changed the rules of school. He led happiness and acceptance of any and all things into every room._ ' and customers that hadn't been to a Hummel Tire and Lube in years, ' _What kind of man would give someone a free meal during a car inspection just because he wanted to? Burt Hummel._ '

It was astounding to Noah at how many lives Burt Hummel had touched. He had taught people to be who they wanted to be, to never let anyone hold you back . . . to be you. Although his gravestone only mentioned him as a great father, husband, and friend, he was so much more than that: mentor, counselor, listener, healer . . . he was Burt Hummel. The greatest man to step on the face of the earth as far as Noah was concerned, knowing that many people agree.

He had never been one to cry in public, but that's because no one else is or will ever be Burt Hummel. He looks around to see so many more people crying. All of their friends that they'd been in connection with since high school were there to show love and support to the man that many of them had called their second father.

Noah feels Kurt shift and looks down to find his husband looking up at him. Within seconds, he has Kurt's arms wrapped around his neck and a wet face in his neck. He repeats it and finds himself needing Kurt just as much.

"I'm so sorry, Noah." Kurt cries into his ear. "He means just as much to you as to me."

"It's okay, Kurt." Noah squeezes tighter. "Just let me hold you now and you can hold me later."

Kurt nods eagerly into his neck. "I love you, Noah. So much."

"I love you too, Kurt." Noah whispers as he shuts his eyes and only listens to Kurt's heartbeat against his.


End file.
